Automobile signal device



0. S. SCHAIRER AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL DEVICE June 19, 1928.

Filed Nov. 19, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l F m H mm M $06M m. OY/ 1 o 2 5 4 ws g 2 m Offo S. Schairer Patented .lune 19, 1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO S. SCHAIRER, 0F PLUM TOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-

SIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO EXCEL PRODUCTS CORPORATION, A COR-PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AU'roMomLE SIGNAL- nnvron.

Application filed November 19, 1923. Serial No. 675,484.

My invention relates to signals of the kind that are used on automobilesand other vehicles to indicate that the vehicle is to slow down or stop,or is to turn either to the right or left.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this character thatshall be very simple,.compact and economical in constructjion and neatand attractive in appearance,

byv reason of the arrangement and small number of its parts, and thatshall give unmistakable and distinctive indications of the intentions ofthe driver, preferably visible from both the rear and the front of thevehicle. 4

In carrying outmy invention I employ a signal casinghaving-in either orboth its front or rear faces three windows that are )rovided withdistinctive cautionary, and directional indicators. The middle window ispreferably red and is provided with the cautionary indicator-in the formof the letter S or the word Slowlor Stop. I The outer'windowsarepreferably green and are provided with arrows or Vs respectivelypointing to the right and. to" the left. \Vith- "in the casing is asmall lamp for illuminating the windows or indicators and shutters forselectively controlling the illumination of the directional indicators,the shutters being actuated by electromagnets. By properly controllingthe circuits thesmall lamp is used to illuminate the indicators to showwhether the vehicle is to slow down, or' to turn to the right or to theleft, and the signals are made more effective by their distinctivecolors and their relative positions' In the drawings, I Figure 1 is aview, partly in side elevation and partly-in longitudinal verticalsection, of a signal box embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section therethrough taken on the line IIII ofFig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view, in lateral section therethrough, taken on the lineIII-I II of Fig. i l I Fig. 4 is a view, in vertical longitudinalsection, through a signal box embodying a modified form of my invention,

Fig. 5 is a view, in side elevation thereof, Fig. 6 is a view, invertical lateral section therethrough,

taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view, in plan, of an actuating device comprisinga part ofthe signal box embodying my invention, and,

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of connecand inwardly extending sideflange portions 15 upornwhich is mounted a base 16 for receiving a smallincandescent lamp 17 that constitutes the single light source provided 2in the signal box and that islocated substantially centrally of thecasing cover.

The cover portion 13 is provided also with a plurality of upwardly andinwardly extending end flange members 18,=the side portions of which areadapted to receive screws 14 to secure them to the ends of the casing'13. The portions 18 are spaced a suitable distance apart and extendsubstantially one third of the length of the casing from each endthereof and are further adapted to support a portion of an operatingmechanism to 'be hereinafter. described in detail.

.Eachof the side walls of the casing 13 is provided with a plurality ofsubstantially rectangular openings 19 therein, three in -number. Eachopening is covered by a transparent sheet 20 of celluloid or thin glass.each of the outer openings 19 there is located a sheet of translucentgreen celluloid 21,

I having a design 22 thereon in the form of a horizontally outwardlyextending arrow of a deep black color. On the inner side of the sheet.20 on the intermediate opening 19 there is located a translucent sheet23 of red celluloid having a design 23 thereon in the formof the letterS of a 'deepfblack color. When illuminated by the relatively high candlepower source of light 17'', the outer or Onthe inner side of the sheet20 on directional indicators will present a substantially black andhorizontally-extending arrow against a green bac (ground, and theintermediate or cautionary indicator will present a substantially black8 against a red background.

Frames 94-, of relatively thin sheet metal and of substantiallyrectangular contour. are provided to hold the pairs of transparent andof colored celluloid sheets against the inner surface of the side wallsof the 'asing, rivets .25 being employed to hold the frames Q-t tightlyagainst the celluloid sheets and against the casing.

Two vertically extending rods 26 are located within the casing 13 andare spaced substantially equi-distantly from each other and from the endwalls of the casing. The upper end of each of the rods 26 is located ina suitable opening in the top portion of the casing 13 and the lowerends thereof are located in the end portions of the respcc tive flangedparts 18. A pair of relatively light metal shutter members 27 arepivotally mounted on each of the rods 26 and are each of such height asto extend from the top surface of the flange portion 18 to the top partof the casing 13. The free verti all edge of each of the shutters 27 isprovided with a small integral laterally-extending flange portion '28that normally engages a vertically extending stop member 29. of Z-shape.suitably secured to the inner surface of the side portions of the casing12, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. A smallhelical spring 31 is mounted on each of the rods 26 and is effective toyieldingly hold the two shutters in their normal alined positionssubstantially as illustrated in Fig. 2.

A small electro-magnet 32 is supported by each of the end walls of thecasing 13 midway of its height. The electro-magnet 32 may be of anysuitable or desired construction. but is here shown as substantiallyironclad and held against the inner surface of the casing 123 by a smallmachine screw 33. Each electro-magnet 32 has a horizontally movable coremember 34, the, outer end of which is connected to the adjacentrespective shutters 27 by pairs of links 35. the ends of which are.respectively pivotally secured to a lag on one of the shutters 27 and tothe end of the core 34. This construction provides in effect a togglejoint that is effective. upon energization of the electro-magnet; 32. tomove the cooperating pair of shutters 27 from their alined positions asillustrated by the full lines in Fig. 2 to the position illustrated bythe broken lines in the right hand side of the same figure.

If desired. the movement of the core member may be arrested by anintegral portion of the electro-magnct structure or the outer ends ofthe shutters 27 may strike angularly disposed and vertically-extcndingreflector members $56 that have one edge secured to the end portions ofthe casing. The angular position of the members 36 is such that they arein substantial alincment with the shutters 27 when the two members arein operative engagement in substantially the positions illustrated inFig. The inner surfaces of the shutters 27 may be polished and willprovide reflecting surfaces for light produced by the light source 17whereby the signal indirations of V-shape adjacent the ends of the casinwill be illuminated when the light source it is energized and theshuttcrs .37 are in their normal operative positions indicated by thebroken lines in Fig. 2.

Each of the electro-magncts 32 is provided with a laid wire 37. theouter end of which is secured to a terminal member 318 comprising amachine screw insulatcdly mounted in the flange portion 1H and aplurality of nuts mounted thereon.- The other end of the winding of theelectro-magnct connected to the casing. prmiding a ground return.

Any suitable or desired terminal construction may be employed but I haveillustrated a specific embodiment thereof t'l)lll])ll ll]g alongitudinally-cxtending grooved bar 2ft). of electriwinsulatingmatcriah located intermediate the side portions of the base 1:! andsecured against the bottom thereof by screws ll. The grooved bar 35)provided with a plurality of terminal members. each comprising a shortmachine screw it! and a plurality of nuts 43 mounted thereon, togetherwith a spring contact member if. one end of which is securely held bythe nuts -13 against the upper surface of the bar 3t. The free ends ofeach of the spring contacts 44 are respectively adapted to engage one ofthe terminal structures 38 or the central terminal of the lamp socket17.

A plurality of lead wires 45 are connected to the respective terminals4; and may be combined into a unitary mulliple-conductor 46 outside ofthe casing 12). from which the condpctor 40 may extend to a suitablesource of supply of electric energy 47 and suitable control devices 48.shown schematically only in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

Referring Inore particularly to the modified form of device asillustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, substantially the same form ofbase portion 12, of casing 13. and of terminal structures supportedthereby is en'iployed as was described for the device illustrated inFigs. 1 to 23 inclusive. A single light source 17 is provided. mountedin a base 16 substantially centrally of the casing 11 as washcreinbefore described- Each of the side walls of the casing has aplurality of substantially rectangular openings 19 therein. There arepreferably three openings 19, the twoouter ones being provided withdirectional indicators and the intermediate opening being provided withcautionary indicators to be hereinafter described. Relatively thintranslucent sheets 21 of the translucent green celluloid are soperforations 22, adapted to act as directional indicators, are in theform of a horizontally and outwardly extending V and the intermediateperforation 23*, adapted toact as a cautionary indicator, the form ofthe letter S. The upper and the lower edges of each of the plates 49 arebent to channel form-with overhanging edges to constitute a supportingmeans and track for a movable shutter 51 located within the inturnededges of the member 49. The member 51 has the intermediate portionthereof cut out in substantially lozenge form, as illustrated moreparticularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the horizontal dimension of theportion cut out being slightly less than the distance between theperforations of V shape in the member 49 whereby they are normallycovered. The edges of the members 49 adjacent to the 'ends of the casing13 are held tightly against the side portions of the casing by rivets52.

Electro-magnets 32 are secured against the inner surface of each of theend portions of the cover member 13 by small machine screws .33, theelectromagnetsbeing mounted, (substantially midway) of the height of thecasing. A movable core member 34 for each electro-magnet 32 has itsouter end secured. against a laterally-extendin bent metal bar 53, theouter ends of whic *are secuiedin any suitable manner to the respectivemovable shutters 51. Ahelical spring 54 isprovided between each bar 53and the outer end of the electro-magnet 32to return the core members 34and the shutters 51 to their normal inoperative positions. .Thisposition of each ofthe shutters is illustrated in Fig 4 of the drawing,in which position the two signal indications 22 are both covered and aretherefore not visible. 1

Referring more particularly to the device illustrated in Figs. 1' to 3inclusive, the operation thereof is substantially as follows; therespective parts of the device being illustrated in their normalinoperative positions by the full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing. If theoperator of a motor vehicle with which my signal device is associateddesires to signal to the operator of a following vehicle that he intendsto stop, he suitably actuates a switch that may be located closelyadjacent to one of the foot pedals of the motor vehicle whereby acircuit is closed through the light source 17. This switch is preferablyof the type disclosed and' claimed in a co-pending application, SerialNo. 653,500, filed July 24, 1923, by Harry R. Van Deventer and Robert M.Varren. I have illustrated a plurality of switches 48 in Fig. 8 of thedrawings that may be opel' ated as desired by an operator.

When the intermediate switch 48 is closed a circuit is establishedthrough the lamp 17 only, and an observer will see a black 8 against ared background, thus providing a visual cautionary indicator. A resistor55 substantially the sameresistivity as one of the electro-magnets 32,thereby ensuring substantially the same' brilliancy of the lamp when itis energized in conjunction with one of the electro-magnets 32 or whenit is energized alone. V

In case the operator wishes to'signaltothe operator of a followingvehicle that he intends to make a right hand turn, he actuates the righthand switch-48 or a suitable switch box to energize not only the lightsource 17 but also the right hand electromagnet 32. Upon energization ofthis elec tro -magnet it attracts its armature core, causing it to moveinwardly and to move the shutters from their'normal alined positions tothe positions illustrated by the may be connected in this circuit andhave broken. lines in Fig. 2. In this position the inner surfaces of theshutters 27 and of the members 36 act as reflecting surfaces for therays of light from the light source 17 and the two outer openings in thefront and the rear walls bfthe casing adjacent to the right hand 'endyofthe casing arethereby illuminated, and observers at the front and attheback of the vehicle will see a black .8 against a red background anda black arrowagainst a green background.

the latter pointing in the direction of the intended turnof the vehicle.

In case the operator desires to signal that he intends to make aleft-hand, turn, the left hand switch is actuated to energizethe lightsource 17 and the left hand electromagnet, thereby causing not only thecentral compartment, but also the left hand compartment to beilluminated An observer will see a black S against a red background anda black arrow pointingto the left against a green background,.therebygiving a composite visual indication comprising a cautionary and a'signal or directional indicator.

Hence when the operator of a vehicle carrying a signal device embodyingmy in- .vention signals his intention to make a right hand or a lefthand. turn he does so by a visual two part signal comprising twodistinct elements: first, by two signal indicators differing in color,second. by a directional indicator whose position relatively to acantionary indicator indicates the direction of an intended turn of thevehicle.

Referring more particularly to the modification illustrated in Figs. -Lto (i inclusive, the same type of switch is employed to control theenergization of the respective signal indications as has hcreinbeforebeen described. If the ope 'ator energizes the single light source only,a single cautionary signal indication, comprising a red 3, is given toan observer standing either in front of or behind the motor vehicle withwhich the signal device is operatively associated.

In case the operator desires to signal his intention of making a righthand turn he actuates one of the switches -18, or a switch box, toenergize not only the single light,

source but also the right hand elcctro-magnet 312. The movable core ofthe electromagnet is attracted and moves the two shutters 51 toward theight by means of the bar 513. The right hand signal indication ofV-shape, is thereby uncovered and the light from the single light sourceshines through the directional indicator of V'-shape and through thecelluloid of green color at. the end of the casing as well as throughthe indicator of S-shape and the red celluloid. In this case we obtainthe illumination of two signal indications, a cautionary one a red 8 anda directional one comprising comprising a green V. In case of a letthand turn, the single light source and the left hand electro-magnet 32are simultaneously energized whereby the shutters 51 are moved to theleft uncovering the left hand V and again producing two distinctiveindicators o't' dill'ercnt colors.

My invention thus provides a relatively simple devi e, of compactstructure. coinprising a single light source. only that is eti'ective toilluminate either one or a plurality of distinctive signal indicationsto indicate intended movements of the vehicle. My device comprises alsoa plurality of electa'oauagnets selectively energized to render visiblesignal indications illuminated by a. single light source centrallylocated relatively to the signal iudi ations that are of ditl'e-rentcolors and that are spe ifically positioned relatively to intended turnsof the vehicle.

Various modifications may be made herein without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention. and I desire that only suchlimitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prio' art.

I claim as my invention:

A. signal box comprising a casing having trout and rear walls. aplurality of syn] metrically spaced visual indicators in each of saidwalls. a single light source lo ated substantially centrally in saidcasing. a plurality of movable shutters in said ca ing. havingreflecting surfaces. a combined shut.- ter-stop and reflector member foreach of said shutters. and means for moving said shutters against saidstops to permit said light source to render visible a plurality ofindicators. said shutters serving also as reflectors when so moved.

In testimony whereof. I have, hereunto subscribed my name this 13th dayof November, 1923.

()"TO S. SCHAlRlCR.

